Online voting is a hot topic among member-based organizations. Associations, cooperatives, unions and financial institutions are looking to online methods to efficiently execute their election efforts.

Join Bob Claus, SBS’ association election expert, and Tim Madsen, SBS Marketing Manager, as they explain the top 5 things your organization needs to consider before transitioning to an online election system.

In this 45-minute webinar, Bob and Tim will explain:

*Why electronic voting has become popular with member organizations.
*Elements of successful Internet voting systems.
*The difference between secure online voting and polling software.
*Pros and cons of voting online.
*How two associations implemented online voting systems with successful results.                                               

Interested in attending? Click here to learn more and register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/920064894

Let us know if you plan on attending and what you want us to cover in the comments below…

If your membership isn’t familiar with the candidates or the issues, they won’t vote. It is in the organization’s best interest to decrease voter apathy by keeping members informed about the candidates and decisions that will help guide the organization in the future.

We recommend associations, cooperatives, unions and other member organizations to inform their membership about candidates in the following ways:

• Include biographies in the online voting ballot

• Create biography packets or booklets, include photos

• Publish interviews of the candidates in organization’s newsletter

• Create a large enough “voting window” to allow members to learn about the candidates

• Produce online videos about candidates and post them on the organization’s website

For more information on increasing participation with your online election, association voting or organization’s balloting efforts, make sure to download our Secrets of Election Response Rates eBook.

Do you have any tips on informing your membership about issues or candidates? Let us know in the comments below.

When you decide to open and close your online election can determine the success of your efforts. The span of time that polls are open is referred to as the “voting window.”  

Here are a few tips on scheduling your voting window:

The typical online election is open for 3–4 weeks. Schedule this time wisely. Avoid having your election coincide with national holidays or during times when a large number of members are typically on vacation.

Use any analytical data you may have about your membership to schedule the best possible open and close dates. A third-party vendor should be able to provide recommendations based on your particular industry and membership base.

Setting the right voting window allows your members to cast their vote when it is convenient for them. A timely voting window can also improve election participation.

Read more about setting an Internet voting schedule in our free Online Voting eBook.

Do you have some tips on setting a voting window for your organization’s election? Let us know in the comments below.

Fortunately, we have the solution…

Sending your members an election invitation email with an embedded auto login link securely logs members into your online system while eliminating the stress associated with forgotten login information.

Here is how an embedded auto login link works:

• A distinct embedded link is sent to each voter in election invitation or reminder emails.
• Unique username and password values for each voter are embedded in this link. See example below:

• When the embedded link is clicked, the voter is automatically authenticated and allowed into the online voting system.
• Once a member is within the secure environment, the voting system works just as it normally would; a user can leave the election site, make choices and park their ballot or submit their vote.

As long as the voting site is active, the embedded link will function. Member data and the election site are still protected by SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) up to 256-bit; the same encryption method utilized by US banking institutions. Providing the automatic access also encourages voter participation and could help with your election response rate. 

An embedded auto login link in your invitation or reminder emails provides a trouble-free way for your members to access your safe Internet election. 

Interested in other online voting security measures or have questions regarding embedded auto login? Visit our security page or let us know in the comments below.

If embedded auto login might be a good solution for your election, make sure to contact us.

If you know the demographics of your membership, the table to the left should help you decide if your organization would benefit from adding an online voting option.

For example, an organization comprised of young, highly educated members from urban areas would be a perfect scenario. On the other hand, an organization consisting of older members living in sparsely populated areas should still consider using some form of traditional paper ballots. If you are unfamiliar with your organization’s demographics, take time to develop a plan to uncover this information. It may be worthwhile to partner with a vendor who specializes in collecting and analyzing this type of data. Use your member data to evaluate and optimize the use of online elements in your election. In many cases, organizations decide to implement hybrid elections to maximize voter participation.

 Questions on whether or not your organization would be a good candidate for online voting? Let us know in the comments below.

For more tips on making online voting a success with your organization, make sure to download our online voting eBook. 

1. Have a promotion plan. In order for your election to be successful; members must know when the election is taking place. This calls for a solid promotion plan. The importance of the election should be established through consistent and memorable messaging during the entire year. This message signals your members that voting participation is a priority. While not typical, we have seen response rate increases of up to 10% when comprehensive, multi-faceted promotion plans are implemented. Use email, direct mail, your website and social media outlets to promote your election.

2. Use reminder emails. For online elections, well-timed election email reminders are a surefire way to boost voter turnout. Because emails require very little time and energy to implement, reminders are a convenient and efficient strategy for raising response rates. The graph below shows average participation for elections we have managed with a minimum of one election reminder and those without an email reminder. Elections with at least one reminder outperformed those without by 2.57%!

(Data based on web elections of all member sizes over the past six years.)

3. Plan your voting window carefully. Schedule your election wisely. Avoid having your election coincide with a national holiday or when your members typically take vacations. Allow 3-4 weeks for your members to complete their voting. Use any data you may have about your membership to schedule the best possible open and close dates.  

Your election is just one item on your 2012 agenda, but it is an important one. Hopefully, the above tips were helpful. Do you have any tips that have made a difference with your election process? Make sure to let us know in the comments below.

If your organization is thinking about adding online elections, you probably have some questions. To help, we put together a list of the most frequently asked questions we get about online voting:

What type of security can I expect from a SBS online voting site?

The security of your election data and safety of your member information is our number one priority. We invest the time and resources to ensure that every election utilizes the most secure web framework available.

Several layers of security are employed to protect your online election. The voting website is hosted on our secure server. Your election website will only be accessible to authorized members through unique voter logins and passwords. Voter ballot information is transmitted from your computer to the balloting datacenter using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption technology. This is the same technology used by US financial instiutions to conduct transactions on the Web. The voting website employs passive and active network monitoring and security monitoring services to detect and prevent unauthorized access. The ballot information is stored in a secure datacenter with controlled, monitored access 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

How does the online election site confirm voter identity?

Your members will be provided with unique voter login IDs and passwords, which will be used by the voting website to confirm their identities.

If a voter makes a mistake while voting online, can they change it?

Yes. It is very easy for a voter to review and change their vote before the ballot becomes officially submitted for processing. After a voter makes his or her selection, a confirmation screen will be shown to verify choices. At that time, a voter can either change their selections, or submit their ballot. Also, the website will verify that the member voted within the correct parameters. This additional safeguard, which cannot be offered through a traditional ballot, will ensure the validity of votes.

After a member submits a ballot, however, it cannot be changed. Submitting a ballot on the web is equivalent to placing a printed ballot in the mailbox; once a ballot has been mailed, it cannot be changed.

Does online voting increase response rates?

This one is tricky. The short answer is – it can.

There are myriad benefits of voting online:

• It is convenient – members can access from anywhere they have Internet access.
• Online elections are cost effective, especially when considering time and production costs from print/mail methods.
• A well-designed Internet voting system has safeguards in place to assure security of ballots and protect voter identities.
• Transparency. Participants can witness the entire election process – from login, to ballot casting, to voting confirmation.
• Accuracy & expedience. There are no rejected/invalid votes. Results are automatically calculated, eliminating dreaded recounts.

However, adding online voting to your organization’s election process doesn’t guarantee you will get a massive increase in response. Generally, we see that adding an electronic voting option does help election participation, but it is not a cure-all solution. We encourage organizations to make a gradual transition from paper ballots to online voting. Be strategic with your election planning – build an election process that fits your members and organization.

For more information on online voting and response rates, make sure to download our Online Voting and Secrets of Election Response Rates eBooks.

For the past 20+ years, our primary goal has been to help organizations connect with their membership; clearly, we think successful elections and bylaw voting are keys to reaching this goal. We felt a responsibility to offer organizations with thoughts on successful election strategies – what better way to share this information than an election blog!

Whether an organization is looking for traditional paper ballot elections, online voting, phone voting or hybrid voting solutions (where voting methods are combined), SBS can advise on an appropriate election system.

The aim of the Election Experts is to provide the latest news and technology from the world of private organization elections. We will be commenting on relevant issues and sharing tips we have from the past two decades of providing election services. It is our hope you will help us make The Election Experts a true community. Make sure to follow along, ask questions and interact.